


Stars and Galaxies

by Liron_aria



Category: Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Empathy, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Soul Bond, background Matt/Tai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:55:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27409192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liron_aria/pseuds/Liron_aria
Summary: Long before Davis and Ken get their Digivices, long before they meet in battle and friendship and their hearts beat as one, their souls reach out across time and space, and wrap around each other.(This is a world where soulmates exist, and Davis and Ken’s spirits rest beside each other from their first breaths - this is their story.)
Relationships: Ichijouji Ken/Motomiya Daisuke | Davis Motomiya
Comments: 1
Kudos: 29





	Stars and Galaxies

**Author's Note:**

> I am an absolute slut for Soulmate AUs, but surprisingly, this was my first time writing one. So here's my contribution to the Good Ship Daiken.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon ar any associated intellectual property. Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei Animation do.

Long before Davis and Ken get their Digivices, long before they meet in battle and friendship and their hearts beat as one, their souls reach out across time and space, and wrap around each other.

(This is a world where soulmates exist, and Davis and Ken’s spirits rest beside each other from their first breaths.)

They’re always able to feel each other’s emotions, which is great up until Sam died. Then, Ken’s end of the bond is nothing but grief and pain, no matter how many positive emotions Davis throws at it.

(Davis mentions it to Jun and she tells him he must be imagining it. Or maybe there’s something wrong with him.)

(Maybe there is, Davis realises, since he can’t make his bondmate happy. Maybe he’s part of the problem, too.)

But Ken, even so deep in his grief and pain, relies on those happy emotions as a constant. He never realises that the quiet heartache underneath it all isn’t his own.

And then Ken becomes the Digimon Emperor. And the very thought of someone else so close to him, seeing into him, is so revolting that he tries to destroy the bond, shove away all that light and goodness.

(Let him stay in the darkness, where a murderer belongs.)

Davis spends the afternoon locked in the bathroom vomiting and sobbing that his own soulmate, the one person he was made for, doesn’t want him.

He must really be awful.

He forces his end of the bond to be quiet. Contrary to popular belief, he can take a hint. He knows when to stop. (It’s about this time that he switches his attention to Kari, if only so that he doesn’t drown.)

And Ken, suddenly losing his one constant, spirals even further.

It lasts until that fateful soccer match, and Davis and Ken’s contact undoes everything they’ve tried to do to suppress their bond. Davis can feel all that grief and pain from before, magnified by guilt and darkness. Ken call feel that riotous, vibrant passion from before, and underneath, heartache more piercing than ever before. 

Davis feels sick and heartbroken. Ken is pissed off.

(Who is this person to feel such pain? How dare they? And more importantly, _who the fuck dares to hurt his soulmate like this?!_ )

(And still, neither of them realise who they are to each other.)

The DigiDestined and the Emperor still fight. Davis feels his soulmate spiralling, that fragile core of gentleness and kindness growing dimmer, and tries to figure out what to do. Ken feels such a full spectrum of emotions, heady and almost _too much,_ only dulling after intermittent spikes of hurt laced with a familiar self-loathing, before rising again.

Davis, surprisingly, is the first to realise the truth. It starts when he holds the Golden DigiEgg in his hands, and clicks when he sees Ken’s breakdown over losing Wormmon and Sam.

Ken Ichijouji is his soulmate. _Ken Ichijouji!_

It all makes sense now, the grief and pain in Ken’s heart from losing Sam and losing himself in being the Digimon Emperor. But he can feel Ken coming back, his gentle light flickering stronger, and he is practically euphoric. (Ken Ichijouji is his soulmate. _Ken Ichijouji!_ ) He is on cloud nine and determined to bring Ken onto the team.

(Ken is his soulmate, he must be the luckiest guy in the world!)

Ken doesn’t realise the truth until Wormmon DNA Digivolves with Veemon and that familiar, constant spirit stands alongside his own. 

It can’t be…

It _is_.

Davis Motomiya, Child of Courage and Friendship, leader of the second generation of DigiDestined, is his soulmate. He realises with dawning horror what this means - he’s tried to kill his soulmate.

Multiple times. 

Oh, God.

(Mercifully, Davis chalks up Ken’s horror to Okuwamon’s presence.)

Ken still leaves. He can’t be here right now, can’t let the darkness in him anywhere Davis.

Meanwhile, Davis goes home and groans into his pillow in frustration as he tries to figure out what to do about Ken. He settles for sending Ken all the affection he has in his heart along their bond. Even if his soulmate doesn’t know who he is, Davis isn’t going to let him wallow and beat himself up, not anymore.

On the other side of town, Ken wonders who makes Davis so happy, and feels peace settle into his heart. When he feels Davis’ giddiness at receiving his message apologising for running off, a soft smile steals across his face, and he spends all night talking to him.

(It’s the opposite of what he should do, but he can’t stop himself. He’s loved this person almost all his life.)

It doesn’t take Ken long to figure out _he’s_ the one who makes Davis so happy, and he’s desperately confused - doesn’t Davis remember all the terrible things he’s done? He still feels a dull flush of shame when he remembers making Davis kneel and beg.

It doesn’t take Ken long to figure out that it’s the other DigiDestined who cause the intermittent spikes of pain and self-loathing. It’s some joke that has the others laughing, offhand as if it’s normal for them to put down their leader. It’s not just teasing; if it was, Davis wouldn’t hate himself.

Yolei turns to him, expecting him to laugh along, and Ken can’t stop his horror from showing through.

“What are you doing?” Can’t they see the effect of their words? Davis isn’t exactly _subtle_. “Why would you even say that?!“ 

Davis looks uneasy while the others look _honestly confused._ Davis makes some melodramatic response to deflect attention, and Ken feels his horror slide to anger that everyone falls for his mask.

In fact, he hasn’t been this furious at the DigiDestined since being the Emperor, and that -

He has to get out of here before he says something he’ll regret. He ignores Davis’ call of ‘Wait, Ken!’ and bolts away.

That, of course, does nothing to deter Davis, and even though Ken is much faster than him, Davis eventually catches up, cheeks flushed and breath coming out in laboured pants.

"Dude, what - was _that -?”_

“I should be asking you that!” Ken snaps, rounding on his soulmate.

Davis blinks, and there’s that _confusion_ again. “What?“

“That!” Ken repeats, waving abstractly in the direction of the other other DigiDestined. “The things they said - How can you stand it?!”

“Hunh? Oh.” Davis shrugs. “It’s nothing.“

“It’s not nothing! It hurts you, doesn’t it?”

Davis flinches. He tries to laugh it off. “It’s just teasing, Ken. Don’t worry about it!“

_“It’s not teasing if it makes you hate yourself!”_

Davis’ eyes grow as wide as saucers and he takes a step back. How - how can Ken know that?

“How… _Oh_. Oh.” Davis rubs the back of his head, averting his gaze. “How… long have you known?”

Ken swallows, feeling a sudden anxiety choking him. “Since we formed Paildramon. … How long have _you?“_

“Since Magnamon defeated Kimeramon,” Davis admits. “Your pain over losing Sam… It all made sense.”

Ken nods, his own eyes wide. That long… The air is tense between them, charged with… something.

Davis breaks first. “Sorry,” he mutters, “I know you could do way better for a soulmate than me.“

“Why are _you_ sorry?” Ken asks, bewildered. “ _I’m_ the one with so many sins to atone for, you shouldn’t have to bear that burden -”

“Stop!” Davis cuts him off, “You’re not a burden, okay? You’re - you’re amazing. I’m serious! Not like, fangirl-amazing, but like _actually_ amazing!“

Ken feels a flush creep up his neck as Davis continues, enthusiastically listing all the things he finds so amazing about him, and by the end of it, Ken’s pretty sure his face is as red as a tomato.

Davis finally peters out when he realises he’s repeating himself, and Ken’s blushing heavily. He can feel his blood rush to his cheeks, too, when he mentally reviews his words and realises what an utter _sap_ he sounds like.

He guesses this is what people mean when they say he’s _too much._

“You know,” Ken says shyly, ducking his head and looking at Davis through his lashes, “I could say all of that about you, too.”

Davis promptly colours brightly, stammering. It pulls a soft laugh from Ken, which in turn pulls a giddy laugh from Davis, and before they know it, both boys are laughing freely, cheer and affection bouncing back and forth between them along their bond.

_Soulmates._

It settles into something a little calmer as they make their way back to the group, hand-in-hand, still flashing quiet grins and private smiles at each other.

Davis’ expression grows strained for a moment and Ken squeezes his hand. “They shouldn’t treat you that way.“

Davis shakes his head. “It’s not their fault.” He shrugs. “They’re not that wrong, anyway.”

Ken’s expression grows murderous for a moment, but Davis distracts him with a grin and runs ahead, taunting Ken to chase him. Ken smirks and follows - clearly, Davis has forgotten just _why_ Ken received the nickname ‘The Rocket.’

(He didn’t, but the light in Ken’s eyes when he wins makes it all worthwhile.)

Davis and Ken are utter squishy saps, it’s ridiculous. They have secret smiles for each other and in-jokes and can predict each other’s moves with pin-point accuracy. Davis takes great pleasure in getting Ken to blush, and Ken takes even greater pleasure in turning the tables. Davis’ eyes _glow_ when he talks about Ken, and literally everyone can tell how in love he is.

(Davis has never been subtle.)

(Which, in Ken’s mind, makes the fact that his sister and parents have no idea what’s going on even more abhorrent.)

(The Emperor has never been more present under his skin than when Davis lights up like a star at the merest scrap of affection, when he deserves the world.)

And somehow, still no one realises that Davis and Ken are soulmates. Even when Davis nearly bites Yolei’s head off and actually snaps at Cody. Okay, the thing with Yolei’s not that unusual, but Davis has never once raised his voice against Cody.

Cody, rightfully and yet for all the wrong reasons, blames Ken.

Somehow, no one realises the truth when Ken’s lips press thin around the younger DigiDestined, when he stands firmly and protectively between them and Davis. Somehow, it passes over all their heads, even at Ken’s knife-sharp voice whenever someone puts Davis down. Even at the sheer wonder in every line of his body whenever he’s around Davis, gravitating towards him like the Earth towards the Sun.

It lasts all the way until TK agrees offhand with one of Yolei’s insensitive comments and finds himself reeling from one Hell of a right hook.

“ _What the -_ “

“Davis!”

“No!” Davis snaps, practically vibrating from the force of his anger, “ _I’m not going to let you insult my soulmate this way!_ “

The silence that falls over them is like a living thing.

The blood drains out of TK’s face, because he remembers Matt getting suspended for putting someone in the hospital when they insulted Tai. Tai had done the same, but had gotten off solely because the school needed him on the soccer team. No one had dared cross the soulmates after that.

Given the banked fury in Davis’ eyes, he’s probably very lucky that Davis doesn’t do the same to him.

He swallows and nods, seeing his… leader, in a new light. “Okay.”

“Your… soulmate is _Ken?_ “ Kari asks softly, and Davis nods, sharp and faintly belligerent, as if daring anyone to say anything.

(Some time later, Davis will apologise to Kari, for clinging to her and placing an undue burden on her shoulders during those days when he’d thought he’d lost Ken. Kari just smiles sweetly and hugs him, truly happy for the sheer _joy_ in him whenever he’s around Ken.)

Time moves on, and they beat back evil more and more each day. At some point, Davis is practically moved in with Ken, and Ken gets honestly, truly _angry_ that the Motomiyas. _Still. Haven’t. Noticed._ Davis just looks at him with wide, sad eyes, and tells him it’s not worth it.

“It’s okay, Ken -“

“ _It is not okay!_ ”

Davis interlinks his fingers with Ken’s and leans against him, listening to his familiar heartbeat. Ken feels peace and sweet, deep affection roll down their bond and feels his own anger fade away like mist, leaving him breathless with how _cherished_ he feels.

Him, of all people.

(In the meantime, Davis isn’t thrilled with Ken’s parents for using him as a trophy, and isn’t sure he’ll ever quite forgive them for what they put Ken through. But they’re doing better now; they’re really trying to be the family Ken deserves, and that means something.)

(Also, they give more of a damn about him than his own parents, and he’s never sure exactly what to do with that.)

And there’s those few days of chaos and near-constant apocalyptic-level danger during Christmas Break, and Ken is honestly too busy to do anything when he finally meets Davis’ parents and feels the tired sting of pain in Davis’ heart when his parents put down his intelligence in front of him.

(Davis knows what loving parents look like by now, and there’s a reason he never goes home.)

Ken pours all the love and affection in his heart into his bond with Davis, trying to soothe away the hurt and remind Davis of the magnitude of his worth. Davis’ expression softens and melts, and Ken bites back a smirk. Davis’ family has no idea what they’ve lost, more fool them.

(More fool any of the people who look at Davis and somehow find him lacking. They have no idea that Davis is the one to pull the DigiDestined from the darkness, that Davis is virtually the only reason they were able to defeat MaloMyotismon.)

And then, it’s over. And then, they’re free. No more darkness, no more danger plaguing the Digital World. It’s beautiful, and when Davis kisses Ken for the first time, Ken is pretty sure his soul leaves his body.

Davis’ shoulders shake with mirth and his grin threatens to split his face in half at Ken’s bright red face, flustered and stunned, and then -

\- and then, Ken kisses Davis, and it’s _his_ turn to be speechless and in awe and glowing redder than a tomato.

(Ken gives the best kisses, which Davis should have expected, since Ken is good at pretty much everything besides being kind to himself.)

(They’re working on that.)

Somewhere in the background, Tai is snickering into a long-suffering Matt’s shoulder, and TK is grinning at all the teasing fodder that’s been handed to him on a silver platter. But none of that matters right now, because there’s a blazing star inside Davis and infinity inside Ken, and a bond between them woven into the very fabric of their souls.

Stars and galaxies and the heavens, and a future so, so bright.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?
> 
> Lbr, jogress evolution/DNA Digivolution is _practically_ soulmates anyway ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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